


Moving Day

by HecatesKiss



Category: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-12
Updated: 2015-07-12
Packaged: 2018-04-08 21:32:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4321518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HecatesKiss/pseuds/HecatesKiss
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Crane... Nick decides to move somewhere else.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Moving Day

Pictures came off the wall one by one. He pulled the little sticky tabs holding the hooks in place and they came off neatly, not having damaged the paint. The hooks followed the pictures into each paper box. White labels and the purple sharpie marked each box for it’s new destination. Two labels per box. One on the lid, one on the right side, short end.

He fumbled the last frame and it went crashing to the floor. Bending down, Nick picked up the clean black metal and winced. The glass was cracked. From what he could tell, the salvaged page from a 1950s bird field guide of a stooping American Kestrel that Catherine had given him had not been damaged. Leaving the box on the floor, he walked into the empty kitchen and set the frame face down. He pried open the back and lifted out the backing and the print. Tipping the glass into a plain brown paper portfolio envelope he then slid it into the trash can that still stood in the kitchen.

Pulling the exacto knife from his back pocket he trekked back into his old office and picked up a manila folder and came back. to the counter. He used the frame for the outline and cut quickly. Slipping the pane of manilla folder into the space where the glass should have been, he re-assembled the picture and then carried it back to the office. This was the last personal thing left in the apartment.

After running out the trash, and stowing the container in the back of the car, he let his keys chime on their ring and bounded back up the stairs. The last picture went into the box and he slid on the lid, jotted a quick note as to what the box contained, and then secured it with blue masking tape left over from a painting project. It was the last bit. All the furniture, television and bookshelves had been moved to the new place. Pausing at the door, he glanced up at the slight differentiation between old and new plaster and shuddered. He was glad he was leaving.

Best of all, his new place didn’t have cable. Locking the door, he dropped He carried the last box to his vehicle and set the box on the floor in the back. He then dropped the keys into a manila envelope and turned left, towards the real estate place.

“We hope you enjoy your new place, Mr. Stokes.” The woman… Valerie is vacuous and rather unfeeling, Nick realizes as he hands over the old keys, but Southern Propriety prevents him from saying anything. He just inclined his head, smiled, and headed for the door. 

Picking up the order of Chinese he’d called in before he left the old place, he smiles at Mrs. Li and nods when she scolds him in Cantonese and take the extra helping of egg rolls she pushes at him with a friendly smile.

His new place just needs the pictures put up, the trash set at the end of the counter island, and then he can simply sit down on the couch and eat his beef and broccoli.

He drives for nearly ten minutes after he picks up the Chinese and then turns into a familiar house. He shuts off the engine and slips out of the driver’s seat. The door opens and blue eyes smile at him even as hands reach out to take the box from him.

“Office then?”

“Yes Gil. And, as far away from your bugs as possible.”

“Your office is on the other side of the house from mine. Shasta won’t bother you either.”

“I still can’t believe you named a tarantula after a freaking mountain in California.” Nick gripes as he follows the older man through the kitchen and the living room, dropping the chinese onto the coffee table and then into the office that has been painted the pale blue of a summer Texas sky, the fumes still hanging faintly in the room.

GIl sets the box down on his desk and waits only a moment before lifting the lid. “What happened?”

“Dropped it. Will have to get a new pane of glass after the next shift. Didn’t harm the picture. It was the one Cath got me.”

“Ah. Do you want to do this now, or eat?”

“Let’s eat. Mrs. Li gave me extra egg rolls again. She knows you favor them.” Nick said with an easy grin. Gil nodded and Nick caught him at the door. A quick brushing of lips left Gil blinking. Nick smiled and twined their fingers together as he slipped out of the room.

Gil tapped him on the shoulder and Nick turned his head. A simple sign was waiting in his line of sight. A smile curved his lips.

“Love ya too, Gris.”


End file.
